Yurii Butusov on current events at front: Kupiansk, Siversk, Pokrovsk, Zaporizhzhia

Author: Yurii Butusov

The situation in Kupiansk, the enemy’s advance on Lyman and Siversk.

My unit and I are working in the Kupiansk direction. I can talk about this now. Previously, this was not disclosed for a long time for security reasons. Now, since the participation of the "Khartiia" corps in these battles, in this counteroffensive north of Kupiansk and in the battles for the city has already been announced, I can talk about it, talk about my personal participation.

So, the situation in Kupiansk. Secondly, the situation on those sections of the front line, which is also very tense and requires maximum attention. This is the enemy's offensive on Lyman, the enemy's offensive on Siversk. And, unfortunately, the capture of most of the city. This is the enemy's offensive on Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad. And also, the fighting is very heavy in all cities. And the fighting in Huliaipole. The enemy is pushing towards Zaporizhzhia. The city is, in fact, on the front line and under attack.

First of all, I would like to thank all the sponsors of the channel, everyone who supports our work. Thanks to this, we can go on air. The channel can continue to operate.

 First, I want to talk about the situation in Kupiansk. I wrote a long article, an analysis of what has been happening in this area over the last three months. Of course, I described the situation as it was two months ago. Now there is fighting in the city. There is no point in talking about the configuration of the front line at the moment. I think there will be a continuation soon, but the enemy is having a very, very difficult time in the city. Heavy fighting is going on, the Russians are straining all their forces, but house by house, the city is being liberated. Gradually, gradually, but it is being liberated. Nevertheless, the fighting is very heavy, and there is no reason to celebrate yet, because the enemy has not been driven out of the city. On the contrary, in order to hold on to the city, the enemy has now intensified its offensive, attacking both the right bank of the Oskil River and the left bank in order to reach Kupiansk on the left bank. Therefore, the battle continues, it is very difficult, and the enemy is deploying additional forces.

Regarding the situation in Siversk and Lyman. Lyman is in the area of operations of the Third Army Corps. There is fierce fighting for Lyman, with the enemy trying to break through to the city with all its forces. This is also causing the enemy heavy losses, and their advance has recently been halted. Nevertheless, there are dense forests and fog in the Lyman area, so the enemy certainly has the opportunity to sometimes seep through and infiltrate. The same is true in the Izium direction. Nevertheless, all these groups that are seeping through the fog, by the way, this is now an issue for all sections of the front, must be clearly distinguished. There are enemy breakthroughs, they do happen. Breakthroughs are when the enemy manages to infiltrate, it is a tactic of infiltration, to seep through, to pass through, to accumulate, then to break through the route and drag larger forces there and move on. This is called a breakthrough. So there is infiltration. This is when Russian commanders, in such thick fog, especially where there are forests, here we have the Oskil River, there is very thick fog here, as well as there, in the Izium, Lyman, Kupiansk areas, everywhere there are dense forests, thick fog. Of course, Russian commanders send assault groups of one, two, three, up to four soldiers in different directions through all this fog. They are sent in different directions. Somewhere they are killed by drones, somewhere they hit mines, somewhere they hit our positions and are destroyed, and somewhere they pass between positions into our rear.

So, if these, I would say, hedgehogs in the fog are seeping through somewhere, if they can be quickly found and destroyed while they are still poorly oriented, then this infiltration is controlled and does not pose a threat. Currently, there are no dense battle formations; battle formations are dispersed both along the front and in depth, and when the enemy passes somewhere, infiltrates, the main task is for the second echelon units to be ready for battle, that is, drone operators, artillery operators, mortar operators, sappers, command posts, everyone who works in the second line, to be ready for battle and ready for destruction. And there should be groups, at least small reserves of several fighters who can clear certain objects, certain points where Russian assault troops enter and infiltrate. Then the situation is under control, and the number of such infiltrations does not matter, they are simply methodically and systematically destroyed.

It is another story when such infiltrations are not destroyed, then such infiltrations turn into breakthroughs.

What do you think about all these negotiations and the withdrawal of troops?

In fact, I don't see any logic in the negotiations yet. The enemy continues its offensive, just as it has done throughout the four years of war, and the peace negotiations are just four, and before that eight. That's 12 years of negotiations for us. Putin always does this in order to continue the offensive. For Putin, negotiations are a way to block diplomatic escalation and further sanctions. They are a tool to divide the united anti-Russian front in NATO countries, in Europe, and in America. If the negotiations were real, they would have to be based on truly acceptable conditions. And when it is stated that Ukraine, before sitting down at the negotiating table, must decide to renounce a large part of its territory, important and very advantageous defensive lines, surrendering them, surrendering its inhabitants, its people, its defensive positions. And then what? Then Putin, as always, will say, as he did with the Minsk agreements, that they do not suit him, that the Budapest Memorandum does not suit him, and he broke all the peace agreements one by one. Let's be realistic. The reality is war. Everything else is just talk that has been going on for 12 years and has no effect in any way on the intensity of the fighting. There is a war going on, and let's talk about the main thing, about the war, that's the reality. I have said that and have been repeating it for many years, the war against Russia, the war for Ukraine's independence, is a war that has no political or diplomatic solution, it has only a military diplomatic solution. Therefore, first and foremost, political positions and negotiations are determined on the front line, they are determined by Ukrainian soldiers. And just as our army is fighting, just as we are holding the front line, so can politicians reach an agreement. This is the only reality that can be realised in negotiations that are beneficial to Ukraine.

Therefore, if we want and believe that there can be real negotiations, there must be one prerequisite. We must stop the Russian offensive. And this is absolutely realistic. This is what we are doing now near Kupiansk. The Russian offensive has been stopped here. Here, the Russians have been driven out of a significant area, which has been liberated. And in this way, perhaps this needs to be done along the entire front line. Then the enemy itself will ask for peace negotiations. And the conditions will certainly be more favourable for us. In Lyman and Izium, the enemy is being defeated and the situation there has stabilised. But now the situation in the city of Siversk is very difficult, very critical. According to the information I have, most of the city has been captured by the enemy. Most of the village of Verkhniokamianske has been captured. And, unfortunately, in such conditions, serious decisions are needed that could change the situation. And the main thing for us now is to cover and build reliable lines of defence. There are some natural barriers for defence to prevent the enemy from advancing quickly on Sloviansk-Kramatorsk. This is our main strategic task on the front line. The enemy is pressing from Siversk, the enemy is pressing on Sloviansk-Kramatorsk from Lyman, trying to press from Lyman, trying to press from Izium, trying to break through the defences in the Siverskyi direction and also trying to break through to Sloviansk-Kramatorsk from the side to capture Dobropillia and Kostiantynivka. There are currently heavy street battles in Kostiantynivka. They are trying to advance further and capture Druzhkivka. In other words, these are the enemy's main objectives: they want to completely capture Donbas by military force, without any peace negotiations.

So, the situation in this area is currently very difficult and very complicated. 

Why are many people silent about the Zaporizhzhia direction, about Huliaipole, so as not to give up Donbas, they withdrew reserves from Zaporizhzhia.

Zaporizhzhia has not been weakened for the sake of Donbas and Huliaipole; in fact, some Ukrainian reserves are now deployed in Donbas and Huliaipole. But the issue here is that time has been lost, and it must be understood that in order to stop the offensive on Zaporizhzhia, which is one of the largest cities in Ukraine, it is categorically unacceptable to simply allow the enemy to get close to the city. This is simply unacceptable. And I want to say that, according to the information I have from the guys working there, the enemy is breaking through the front line in Zaporizhzhia, as it is everywhere else, and the main factor in the breakthrough is drones. The enemy is simply breaking through the front line with drones. And the Zaporizhzhia region, Zaporizhzhia itself, is the most convenient place for waging a drone war. It has the most open spaces, the fewest shelters, the best observation conditions, and it is there that drones are most effective. Therefore, I am absolutely confident that we have the resources to stop the offensive on Zaporizhzhia, as well as on other sections of the front. We will demonstrate this in Kupiansk, but believe me, we are doing the same on other sections of the front. We are showing this in Izium and Lyman, where it is very difficult, but we are holding back the enemy. But if we want to stop the assault groups, our problem is not just the assault groups themselves. Our main problem on the front line is that we have to counter the enemy with a defence system based on high-quality tactical reconnaissance using drones at great depth. A system of striking with diverse drone forces that will be linked to our reconnaissance. And wherever the defence is breached, these conditions are not met. If there is no density, if there is no high-quality management, no drone control centre, and in the use of drones, it is very important who controls this process. This is no less important than the person who flies that FPV and kills the enemy directly. The control system, so where there is no control, where there is no system of connected positions that cover each other, that interact with each other, there the enemy with drones takes out our observation posts, takes out our Mavics, then takes out other types of drones, and the front cannot hold. The infantry alone cannot defend itself against drones. As well as against the enemy. The enemy infantry is unable to advance without the close and effective support of its drones. Therefore, whoever gains the upper hand in the battle for the small sky, the sky directly above the ground, for the airspace, gains a tactical advantage on the battlefield, accomplishes its objectives and thwarts the enemy's plans.

So, what we lack in Zaporizhzhia, what we lack in other areas, is precisely such control centres, such interaction, such responsibility of UAV units. Because what I see with my own eyes is that there are big problems across the entire front, in many brigades, not all, but in many. There are major problems with the organisation of tactical reconnaissance using Mavic and Autel drones, which are not being analysed, corrected or controlled. This creates gaps in surveillance areas, allowing the enemy to operate, manoeuvre freely, and bring in reserves and assault groups. And we lack responsibility. We have a huge number of different units created by UAVs, which are not provided with organisational support, drones or ammunition, or which have a large shortage of drones and ammunition, and which are rushing around the entire front line in search of e-points, looking for someone to illuminate their target and give them a target. But we have a big problem that none of these numerous UAV units are responsible for a specific section of the front line.

With a variety of strike capabilities, we can completely stop the Russian offensive. In fact, Zaporizhzhia has the best conditions for stopping the enemy and defeating them. Incidentally, it is worth noting that the military-civilian administration in Zaporizhzhia is working quite effectively, making every effort to support many military units across the front and strengthen their combat capabilities. Why does this MCA, the Zaporizhzhia MCA, enjoy such authority? But modern management methods are needed there. We need responsible commanders who understand how high-tech equipment works. And we are quite capable of stopping the enemy. This solution has now been implemented in Pokrovsk. A UAV control centre has been set up at the headquarters of the 425th Assault Regiment Skelia, and it is showing significantly higher efficiency as part of the 7th Corps of Airborne Assault Troops, significantly higher efficiency in the operation and use of UAVs, and the logic of dense means, the quality of work of the units responsible for surveillance. As a result, cooperation has been established between assault units, ground units and UAV units. This allows us to continue fighting for the city. The enemy has been unable to capture the city for a long time. For a month and a half, the Russians have not advanced in Pokrovsk, in the city itself. They are now flanking the city, trying to capture, surround and encircle Pokrovsk from the flanks, but they cannot dislodge our infantry from the city itself at the moment. All this is thanks to the fact that command and control has been established, there is interaction, there are responsible leaders in the UAV command centre, competent and professional people. For this, I would like to express my special gratitude to the National Guard's special forces unit "Lazar" and all the soldiers, all the units that are bravely defending Pokrovsk. These are the 425th Regiment "Skelia", the 68th Brigade, the 155th Brigade, the 25th Brigade, which are also holding positions around the city, the 32nd Brigade. I will not list them all, of course, but the units I have mentioned have been working in this area for a long time, which is no secret. I would like to express my gratitude to the "Nemesis" Unmanned Systems Forces unit, and I would also like to thank them for their excellent work.

 Where is Andrii Yermak now? He was mobilised.

Friends, this is a difficult question. In fact, everyone on the front line is now asking where Andrii Borysovych Yermak is, who said he was going to the front. Undoubtedly, such an influential person can strengthen any section of the front line and, I think, provide support to more than one army corps. Where is he? Perhaps the military unit or some representatives will respond. Andrii Borysovych said that he is at the front line. We are waiting, but I have no information yet. Perhaps at the training centre. This happens when a person disappears without notice. Maybe he is undergoing the basic military training. It is difficult for me to say, I cannot comment, but, like you, I am also looking for someone who can clarify the situation and boast of such a fighter.

What about AWOL, for whom this is still the only chance for transfer, and Syrskyi's troops are packing them up?

Why has Siversk been ignored by the media since 2022? Even now, it is not widely discussed.

Yes, I'll start with Siversk. I've talked about it many times. Unfortunately, the problem with Siversk is that for a long time, it was defended by one of our best military units. The key height that protected Siversk and the village of Verkhniokamianske has been defended for almost three years by Kyrylo Veres, commander of the famous K-2 battalion, the second mechanised battalion of the 54th mechanised brigade. And the corner of this salient, namely the village of Spirne, has been defended for a long time, almost two years, by the third battalion of the 4th Brigade of the National Guard Rubizh, also known as the Freedom Battalion. These are some of the best battalions of our Defence Forces, which have motivated personnel and competent commanders, including Petro Kuzyk, commander of the Freedom battalion. They are well supplied and understand the tactics of using drones. And for a long time, with small forces, significantly inferior to the enemy in strength, they repelled all attacks, of course, with other battalions, other units, other subdivisions. And they were not alone. But they were simply the backbone of the defence, that is, K-2 Veres held the key high ground in front of Siversk. And he held the high ground in Verkhniokamianske, while Kuzyk held the corner of this bridgehead in Spirne. And I think that we got so used to the fact that these people, with almost no reinforcements, assembling these drones with some volunteer money, have been destroying the enemy and stabilising the front for almost three years, that somehow our leaders, the command at all levels, got used to the idea that Siversk would always hold out, no matter how difficult it was. What has changed? Unfortunately, in 2025, events unfolded that were not entirely favourable for Siversk. Kyrylo Veres was promoted, and he is now deploying the K-20 brigade, which is expanding, and Petro Kuzyk and his battalion were removed from this direction altogether. That is K-2 battalion remained, but Kyrylo Veres, Hero of Ukraine, an authoritative figure who could speak openly to all generals and anyone else about what was happening, publicly and privately, and everyone was forced to listen to this commander because of his authority, was no longer there. And the same authoritative commander Petro Kuzyk with his battalion "Svoboda" was removed from Siversk and transferred to another section of the front. And this is precisely, you know, about the role of personality in history. These two commanders, there are many great commanders there, great respect for both Oskar and Subota, there are a lot of great commanders there. But everyone understands what Veres and Kuzyk meant for the defence of Siversk. These were people who, first of all, with their authority, could give honest, objective feedback to their superiors, and no one could shut them up or ignore them. And secondly, they provided their units with a large number of drones and other equipment.

So it happened that Veres was definitely helping the unit there, but he wasn't there. And it so happened that the enemy managed to first infiltrate the flank, then pass along the flank, then drag Siversk, and begin to roll back our defence. Well, in the absence of the "Svoboda" battalion, that flank on Spirne, which was coming out, that corner, unfortunately, was also lost. This is not because other units, other fighters are not as brave, not as courageous. It's just that war is also, we must understand, very much dependent on commanders, their personal qualities, how they plan battles, mobilise resources, and use resources. No amount of heroism can replace professionalism and the availability of resources. If, on a chessboard, the enemy can constantly deploy additional pieces, and you cannot, then the enemy will win. This is exactly what has currently happened in Siversk. This is a very critical situation, and I am talking about it now because decisions must be made about building defences on those lines where the enemy can actually be stopped right now. In Siversk, there are competent battalion commanders in the 54th Brigade and competent commanders in the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade. There are people there who can stop the front. The 81st Airborne Assault Brigade is also nearby. Not only Siversk depends on these three brigades now, but also the fate of holding the line and defending Sloviansk-Kramatorsk. Preventing the collapse of the front. That is why we need to talk about this.

 Russia is scaling up. I would like to talk about why Russia is advancing. What is the phenomenon, why are the Russians now managing to push through the front line, which has been the only line for three years like in Siversk? Imagine that. Now they have pushed it back. I would also like to mention something else. The enemy is learning. It is not learning quickly, but it is learning. Why? It has the resources to learn. The Russian command has deployed brigades in areas that do not change their zone. For example, the 123rd Brigade has been storming Siversk for three years. More than three years in one area. The enemy is trying to concentrate its combined arms, infantry and land forces in the same direction, without moving them along the front, constantly replenishing them according to plan. Every month, the commander of each Russian division, brigade and regiment knows the number of people who will come to him. This is not enough to make up for all the losses, but it is a constant number. And this commander can plan the development of his unit. He can form additional engineering crews, UAV and artillery crews, whatever he wants. Prepare people, assign them to training. He knows, he can understand how many people he has. And secondly, they learn tactics on these people. They don't need to read books. They try out different tactics. First, they form large assault columns. They send them into battle, and everyone is killed. Okay, no problem, tomorrow there will be new people. New people arrive, and they are sent out in small assault groups. They walk, yes, yes, yes, in the rain. Again, everyone was killed. Okay, let's try the third option. One by one, they have to go along these routes. Killed there, killed there, leaked here. Yeah, this option works. This tactic can work. Okay, we'll continue with this tactic. That is, the enemy has a constant supply of this meat. And they have, unlike us, we have, as they say, a plan. We have a plan for the work of the TCR. There is a TCR plan, recruiting military units. That is, every month, the Ministry of Defence says 30,000 people go to TCRs. Well, they go to the TCR, they are registered for the front. Then 10,000 bring certificates that they are either booked or have serious illnesses, they are unfit, they cannot be used on the front line. Then another 10,000 arrive, and they cannot be used too, either because of illnesses that were overlooked, or for some other reason, or because of unfitness, or, unfortunately, AWOL. Then, out of 30,000 who get there, 10 make it into the army. They join, but not all of them can go into the infantry. They go into various units that also need to be replenished. UAVs, drivers, someone else. Then we, that is, those who are ready to go to zero, who are ready to go into the infantry, to storm, or to hold positions, we are very short of them. We have significantly fewer of them than those whom the Russian command can send to zero, to storm and hold positions. Due to the fact that there are no human rights there, a person ends up in the army, and that's it, they show him everything. Either you get shot, wiped out, or you go forward and carry out the task. A Russian commander can send 100% of those he has been given as reinforcements to the assault. And the Russians' infantry doesn't run away at all. They flee for a short time. Either to the first pit, or they are sent back to the assault. So everything is very simple there. That is why Russian commanders have the opportunity to train on people like this. They teach their tactics and change them on people. The Ukrainian command, well, fortunately, we don't do that. We have a lot of management problems. A large number of people die because of management problems. A large number. But not as many as the enemy does. That is, Russia takes 30,000 people every month, about 35,000. They go to the front, and most of them go forward to attack. That is why they have an advantage. They learn. The same with drones. They do not have the same quality of drone use as we do. For many reasons. I will not go into detail now. But they have such a large number of drones that even when they just fly around for a long time without hitting anything, after a while, a month, two, three, they learn. And this quantity, unfortunately, turns into quality.

Are you a pilot now or are you involved in other issues?

I am the commander of a UAV platoon. Right now, I'm involved in management and organisation. I was given a core group of pilots who have experience, but most of the people have no experience. So our task now is to create a unit that can fight. The purpose of my platoon is to fight against take-off sites and enemy UAV operator positions. We need to find equipment and pilots' dugouts and destroy them. To do this, we need reconnaissance and weapons. We conduct high-quality reconnaissance, I go out to scout positions, deal with organisational issues, and look for people.

In modern warfare, in order for an assault group to go on the offensive, we first need to attack with the positions of the drone operators. Bring them closer. Those who can secure the positions of the drone operators closer can better control both the front and the nearby rear, as well as the enemy's logistics. The same goes for the enemy's UAV take-off positions. And thus gain a key advantage in battle. So this may not be a very spectacular task, but I understand that right now it is a key tactical task on the front line, and it is precisely the task of my unit. And we are developing and deploying it specifically to counter and fight the enemy in the restricted airspace, in order to knock the enemy out. This is the task set by the command of the 13th Brigade "Khartiia".

What units would you recommend to a 20-year-old guy? I studied computer systems engineering and have experience with drones.

Yes, Roman, don't waste any time. I'm waiting for your message in private, in the messenger. Please, we need you. Contract 18-24, and we need technicians, specialists who work with drones. I personally guarantee that you will work and fight in your field, and we need people who are involved in technology. Because in modern warfare, the advantage must be created on the technological front. The technological direction is a separate direction of combat planning. And it is no less important than weapons, tactical issues, or anything else.

Friends, if you want to fly drones, we are personally interested in specialists, myself included. People who have technical knowledge, who understand IT technologies, computers, equipment, or have a talent for it, a drive, want to learn, and are motivated. Please note that I have many vacancies in my platoon in the "Khartiia" brigade, an unlimited number for those who want to become UAV technicians. This is a priority in re-equipping, and all commanders are asking about it. Therefore, please contact us anywhere.

I am 17 years old, soon to be 18, and I want to sign an 18-24 contract for the Ground Robotic Systems.

Look, I don't know exactly how it works at the GRS right now, but for the beginning, if you really have technical knowledge, you will be working on drones. The difference between the GRS and UAVs is actually small, the control system is the same, there are some technical features.

Please contact me.

Why does it take so long to get them out of prison, why aren't convicts being mobilised, they are citizens of Ukraine, aren't they?

 There are a large number of units that are made up of convicts, there is motivation. There is a problem with serious offences, that needs to be sorted out. I know units that are made up of convicts.

I think you should know this too, because recruiters from many military units are already present in every prison.

I have a friend who was assigned to a drone and sent on an assault on his first day, and then he crawled over corpses and went AWOL.

 Nowadays, no one in the Defence Forces is thrown into anything on their first day, because in the army you first undergo two, in the Khartiia two and a half months of intensive training, and that's just training. Before that, you can't even be accepted into a military unit. Then you are sent to a military unit, which checks your suitability, and after a while, you may indeed be given combat missions. But, friends, I want to say that I am a person with a public reputation, and if I tell you that people will join my unit on an 18-24 contract, this is a UAV unit, they will join the Khartiia brigade in technical positions, and they will be in technical positions if their competence and motivation allow it. Then believe me, in any brigade that is currently holding the front line, no one sends a person with technical knowledge into battle on the first day. And in my unit, I can vouch for this with my word, and for reliability, you can simply contact me personally.

I am 24 years old, a helicopter design engineer by profession, and I know how to design and fly various UAVs. Please advise me on where it would be best to go.

My friend Bohdan, I ask you not to delay and to write to me immediately, wherever is convenient for you. Write to me on Messenger, on Facebook, write here, anywhere. It is preferable to write to me here, and I will respond to you from all messengers. People with your qualifications are critically important to the Defence Forces. It would be an honour for me to have you work with me in my team.

After 24, why the hell would you need it?

God forbid. Friends, most of the units in my platoon, most of the people, imagine, are people who are much older than 24, and almost all of them are people who left the unit without permission at one time. Most of my platoon, there are a few people who came to me on purpose, were mobilised, and most of them are AWOL. More than 20 people now are those I found in various units of the Military law enforcement service, whom we are gradually, through the courts, through transfers, very slowly and very difficultly registering and enrolling in the staff. And I have more than 10 people who simply live in my village, in houses together with the soldiers, and they are not yet registered as AWOL soldiers. We are fighting for them, trying to transfer them. These people work for us, serve as military personnel, but are simply not registered yet. Therefore, friends, we are fighting for every qualified person in the army. I am fighting personally. These are not just empty words. You can come to me, as many people do, to see how we work, how we live, what we do. If you have the qualifications, even just to come and see our work, so, there are no problems, friends.You can easily get in touch with me. Therefore, Bohdan, I am very much looking forward to your message.

What is your opinion about the lies told by senior military leaders in their reports? What changes does the army need now, given that it is in a critical situation?

Friends, I have spoken and written about these lies hundreds of times. This is a systemic problem. Ukraine needs a strategy for action on the front lines. A systematic understanding of what we are doing in the war, our goal. To win the war, we must gain superiority on the battlefield. And superiority on the battlefield is not achieved by reports and lines drawn on a map. We are here, at this point. This is not a report. This is a lie. The very approach of reports that we are standing at some point is a lie. This is not military art. And the main problem in Ukraine right now is that due to the lack of strategy, we do not have an adequate task for the army. The army must destroy the enemy. We need to destroy, according to the Russian mobilisation plan, they are mobilising 35,000. We need to destroy 50,000 per month. Destroy and disable. If we destroy Russians at a rate of 50,000, any Russian offensive will stop on its own in 3-4 months. On most of the front. And it becomes localised. They will only have the strength to attack in small pockets, in narrow strips. Is it realistic for us to destroy 50,000? Absolutely. A month ago, in October, we already had a figure of 25,000 destroyed. Now the fog has lifted. Friends, we are quite capable of destroying 50,000. Destroying and putting them out of action. Wounded, seriously wounded and killed. So this is not some astronomical figure that is completely unattainable for us. It is achievable. But it needs to be planned. To do this, our actions on the field, on the ground, must be subordinated to the goal of maximising the destruction of the enemy and minimising our losses. To do this, we need to build a defence line, which will consist primarily of well-camouflaged positions for UAV operators, infantrymen and camouflaged, hidden logistics routes that are protected to these points. And we need a continuous strip of obstacles that will be difficult for enemy infantry to move through and absolutely impossible for enemy equipment to move through. Is this possible? Absolutely. It just needs to be planned and tied to the terrain. And this is being done, which is why the front is stable and resilient. On many sections of the front. This needs to be done everywhere, scaling up positive experiences. Then the lies will stop. When there is a goal. And if the goal is not to destroy the enemy, but simply to report, we hold on well, we kill thousands of enemies only in reports, there are no videos, only reports. And we cannot show the videos. If this is acceptable, then I apologise.

How do the lads feel under your leadership?

Friends, I think it's not difficult to ask Butusov's unit in the Khartiia brigade. A significant number of people know him. It's no secret in Khartiia. We know the people, we know the positions. We work in a group near Kharkiv. There is also a position near Kupiansk. No problem. Many people can see my unit's stream. Evaluate the work, meet, chat. So welcome. And for anyone who really wants to join a reliable combat family, get a profession, work with drones, I can even offer to come to Kharkiv. It's not far from the city. I invite you to visit me. You will see how we work, meet people, and make an informed choice. Again, this is for those who have a profession, are motivated, and want to sign a contract.

What other vacancies are available in the unit?

There is a UAV operator, MAVIC, and I think most people can work on it. There are technicians, drivers, and car mechanics. This is also a very important speciality. And there are people who deal with ammunition and ammunition equipment.

 Is it true that now everyone from AWOL is being sent only to the assault troops?

Friends, I can't say for sure that everyone is sent there, I don't know the practice, that absolutely everyone is. I fully admit that in some battalions of the land forces reserve, there is a practice of sending everyone from this particular battalion to the assault unit, it may be. I do not rule this out. But I do not think that this is possible across the entire front, in all reserve battalions, without exception, because in reality, various units are being formed through the reserve battalions. I have a unit of AWOL soldiers. Most of the servicemen are after AWOL. The majority, imagine, mainly. Therefore, I cannot tell you that everyone is being sent. There are exceptions, and not only in my unit, I want to say that it is not only me who is doing this. I know other UAV units that are also being recruited, as well as infantry brigades. I think it depends on the situation. If you really want to transfer, and I sincerely advise you, if you don't want to be sent, for example, to a certain unit, a certain part where you would not want to serve, well, okay, choose another one yourself. And then there will be no problem, they will fight for you. And also assault regiments, well, I want to tell you that there are such assault regiments, we are working here in Kupiansk with the 475th regiment. This regiment has fewer losses than the entire mechanised brigades here, which are working in defence and are not really assaulting anything. It depends on the specific unit, the specific commander, the specific conditions. And that is why I advise you, friends, not to be afraid that someone will be sent somewhere. In order not to be afraid that someone will be sent somewhere, send yourself to the unit you have chosen. Believe me, no commander would turn away a highly motivated person who came to him, even an AWOL soldier, and he would do everything in his power to keep him from being transferred to another unit if he needed him. Well, that's what I do. So I invite everyone, and we really need motivated people who want to work, who are skilled and want to work with technology.

This is work on mavics, it's basically drone infantry. It's very dangerous work, very responsible and crucial in war, because everything depends on the reconnaissance system. Damage, situational awareness, and in general, the lives of our brothers in the infantry, wherever they are. So, friends, I invite you to make an informed choice in this war. Not just what to do, but where to do it and with whom. Who is responsible for you, who you want to be responsible for and who you are ready to be responsible for. I offer you our combat family. So, thank you, friends, for this stream, thank you for being with me, and glory to Ukraine!